Oh boy...

[Orius]

Part of me wonders about the ratings: are they lackluster due to the quality (or expectation) of the show or are people tired of Star Trek for the moment? They did produce VOY while DS9 was still on air and ENT appeared pretty much right after the end of VOY. Maybe people are just tired on Star Trek.

Myrdden

That wouldn't surprise me; Star Trek's popularity has been slowly waning since it reached its peak with TNG. Maybe it's because people tastes change; maybe it's a change in social attitudes, sort of the growing backlash against political correctness in society or something. Maybe because it's on a non-network like UPN that no one watches.

When I first heard they were doing Enterprise I thought they should have waited a year or so, take a break to help spur creativity. And of course there was the strong and very real possibility that Paramount was trying to milk its most profitable cash cow. Maybe the ratings were so bad for UPN as a whole that they needed a Trek series to ensure its survival. At first Enterprise had me convinced they could do it. I think they still can in fact, if they do more episodes like we saw with the Andorians, since that seems to be what the fans like, exploring the beginnings of the Federation. Thawing out Borg isn't going to do a damn thing to help. It's not really going to impress the casual fan anymore, the Borg aren't as scary as they used to be. And it's just going to irritate the rabid fans who have every Trek fact memorized. They got a good foundation on which to build, they just need to stop using materials that aren't up to code, so to speak.

 

[Mistwell]

It really is all about the ratings, maybe they should of tried harder to reach their fanbase. When you talk to one of those writers tell him I said Hi.

Okay, chalk this up to amazing coincidences.

Two nights ago there was a party I could not attend. At the party was an old high school friend, who I still see maybe once a year. People talked to him at the party, and it turns out he is in charge of advertising for Enterprise and some other UPN stuff (and he used to be on Buffy). He is also a writer (more aspiring than anything - he is not currently writing for Enterprise), and has access to the Enterprise writers.

So, I suppose there really is a plausible chance I can get a word in to the writers I will contact him next week if I get the chance.

 

[Cartolis]

I think that they are doing a passable job of with enterprise.

not to mention that there are lots of ways that they can deal with all of the inconsistencies that they are putting into the plot lines.

after all klingons have changed in apperance since the tos and that was explained in ds9 by worf simply saying "we dont like to talk about it"

sure they are taking liberties with the cannon but they are weaving a show that is all their own.

 

[Ranger REG]

Part of me wonders about the ratings: are they lackluster due to the quality (or expectation) of the show or are people tired of Star Trek for the moment? They did produce VOY while DS9 was still on air and ENT appeared pretty much right after the end of VOY. Maybe people are just tired on Star Trek.

We will only get tired if they fail to impress and hold our attention, which is what they're doing now. It's understandable considering that the franchise have been on the air for over 10 years consecutively. When you watch that many episode, it's hard to impress you with a so-called "new episode," especially if the story is a rehash of what have been previously aired.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think it will really be difficult to create new trek stories if they rely solely on the old exploration concept and, from time to time, just have some old enemies (like the borg) reappear.

But maybe the trek authorities do also fear that relying on something like the political dynamics that lead to the federation and the humans becoming the most powerful race in the alpha quadrant might not reach the audiance...
Think of it: Why should a - maybe only casual watcher - be interested in a fictive political system, when he seems not even interested in his own one?
But this is what the mentioned andorian episode seems to be about, from what I see.

TOS and especially the first movies had the Cold War as a ongoing theme, and used old political themes. DS9 also had in the first seasons a great focus on politics (that had some similiarities to the Isreal/Palestina conflict and similar ones). The former was quite succesful, at its time. But many people consider the first seasons of DS9 weak ...

Babylon 5 is considered best during the "war seasons", not in the last few where Sheridan tries to build up his new alliance...
The authors of Andromeda are advised to rely more on "stand alone" episodes, and focus less on the "build up the Commonwealth" storyline.

So, it seems, that no way seems to lead to a success...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[myrdden]

I think it will really be difficult to create new trek stories if they rely solely on the old exploration concept and, from time to time, just have some old enemies (like the borg) reappear.

I hope not! Sure some themes may reappear from time to time, and maybe the odd similar situation crops up here and there, but all the series can muster is "old enemies" and rehashed plots then what is the sense of another series?

But maybe the trek authorities do also fear that relying on something like the political dynamics that lead to the federation and the humans becoming the most powerful race in the alpha quadrant might not reach the audiance...
Think of it: Why should a - maybe only casual watcher - be interested in a fictive political system, when he seems not even interested in his own one?
But this is what the mentioned andorian episode seems to be about, from what I see.

I don't agree with that. I think what it boils down to is who are the writers trying to target with the stories. From what I've seen so far they are trying to appeal to a general audience by making the episodes fairly simple and easily accessed by those who have only a passing familiarity with the show. Is this really the way they should be proceeding? After 4 series, is it necessary to continue on this way? I think it's safe to say that people who watch the show are either long-time fans of the franchise or fans of science fiction in general. If the show is losing these viewers, something definitely is "rotten in Denmark".

ENT needs to bring something new to the table that the other series didn't. TOS started the whole thing, TNG modernized the franchise, DS9 brought a new view to the franchise, VOY...uhhh...I didn't watch this one at all. So what can ENT bring? Detail to the rich history that was framed by the preceeding series. I don't think people are going to be turnned off by stories that revolve around the formation of the Federation. There is still going to be conflict (which is necessary for good storytelling) but it can be in the form of armed conflict, personal conflict, moral conflict, etc. all framed within the ST universe.

Babylon 5 is considered best during the "war seasons", not in the last few where Sheridan tries to build up his new alliance...
The authors of Andromeda are advised to rely more on "stand alone" episodes, and focus less on the "build up the Commonwealth" storyline.

I didn't watch B5 or currently watch Andormeda. The episodic formula can work but I think viewers are more sophisticated and want to see a more serialized type of format. I think ENT has actually done a good job of finding a balance between the two. They have an overall arc that pops up now and again and the episodes build on the arc. Unfortunately the quality of the stories (and the arc in general) has not been satisfying to me.

Just a few cents...

Myrdden

 

[DanMcS]

That's why I stopped watching, by this line of thought the changes in Enterprise now make all previous shows (which were set in the future from Enterprise) non-existant. When you are watching reruns of Next Genreation just remember that none of that happens anymore, heck they might not even exist anymore in the timeline, the story was based on events in the timeline and those events have been changed. If there is no war with the Klingons then why would there be constant war with the Klingons, then the first Star Trek series didn't happen, nothing makes any sense anymore.

Darn, you're right, I can't believe I didn't see it before. See, this whole time, I thought all the series were just episodes on tape, and they happened whenever TNN showed reruns, but I bet all those tapes are blank now, and even if they weren't, I wouldn't be able to enjoy them when they came on, because they never existed!

 

[jdavis]

Darn, you're right, I can't believe I didn't see it before. See, this whole time, I thought all the series were just episodes on tape, and they happened whenever TNN showed reruns, but I bet all those tapes are blank now, and even if they weren't, I wouldn't be able to enjoy them when they came on, because they never existed!

Yes I'm glad you see it they are changing the time line and slowly deleting good episodes. Soon the next generation episodes will fail to exist and TNN will sue UPN for destroying their tapes. In the near future the only thing William Shatner will be known for is TJ Hooker and those priceline commercials. You are a genius I just thought that they didn't fit together (like unmatched puzzle pieces), but in your infinite wisdom you have discovered a dark plot to destroy TNN and it's attempt at a all Male demographic channel. UPN is a threat to national security, and must be stopped, just imagine the damage Wolf Lake did to the American way of life. Thank goodness for people like you who have the foresight to believe in time paradox and it's relationship to TV shows.

 

[Ranger REG]

But maybe the trek authorities do also fear that relying on something like the political dynamics that lead to the federation and the humans becoming the most powerful race in the alpha quadrant might not reach the audiance...
Think of it: Why should a - maybe only casual watcher - be interested in a fictive political system, when he seems not even interested in his own one?
But this is what the mentioned andorian episode seems to be about, from what I see.

Perhaps the casual watcher is looking for a political system that works, even if it is fictional.

Personally, I'd rather they do social issues, like they did with the "Stigma" episode.

 

[S'mon]

If TOS was the Cold War 1960s in space, and TNG the touchy-feely 1990s, shouldn't Enterprise be the 1800s? A Wild Frontier feel and lots of violence would surely be better for the ratings...